Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-13
A Series OF Letters from Marion Har.
land to Those VINO Are the Moth
ers OF Immortal Beings.
We Are too Ready to Make Prom ses TO
Our Children Which We do Not
Garry Out,
BY MARION HARLAND.
Copyright 1857, by the Author.
Re.O Faith Fsttb Your Children

mamma hnO" ccStD - WI GA4CSo uPOA
any other assumption. because cur
knowledge is superior to yours" we say
iD effect. ''v0u should obey US. Because
we do not ceive you, trust US without
gainsaying."
The baby's humility IS involuntary,
born of weakness and conscious ignOr-
ance. He confdes in his parents as none
but those VINO are ripe for parSdise ever
learn 10 trust the Father who max no
mistakes and never breaks a promise.
Our boys law and gospel are contained
in the teachings Of his guardians. He
lends equal credeEce to the story OF
Joseph Ii the pit and the hop-o'-my-
thumb in the wood; Elisha's greedy bears,
are 10 more and no less real than
The Great Bear, the Middle Bear
and the Little Bear, whose bread and
milk was devoured by Golden Locks.
The dear God who sees and loves him
always lives beyond the solid blue OF the
sky; the fieeCy rolls of cloud collected
in the fields of ether are Gods sheep the
thunder is His voice; the stars are holes
in the sapphire pavement to let the glory
through. Angels are detailed TO watch
beside Bsby's crib TO keep evil spirits
away, and are ever within call to help him
to be good-snd Papa and Mamma are
always right.
The darling makes q precious hash OF
sacred and tolk lore, but his code IS SIM
pie and strong, He believes what those
who ought TO speak the truth teach him,
and trusts IN what they engage to per
form Should he come to grief, the
blame rests elsewhere than on MS stead
fast little soul.
"Let boy once distrust the love or
the tenderness of his parents, and the
| last resort of his yearning affections-so
far as the world goes-is utterly gone, ="
writes TX Marvel. ellis heart Will take
, on hard iron covering that viii fash
out plenty of fire in his at er contact with
/ the world, but it will never, never melt"
Almost as sharp is the awakening to
/ the knowledge that there is & limit to
! "papa's" ability TO set wong right, that
there are SORROWS from which the tender
/ fold Of ''mama's" arms cannot defend
him. From such shocks We cannot pro
! teCt him, although circumstances may
/ aid US in pOstpOning the evil cay. 1t Is
I in the power of each Of us to prevent the
cruelest disillusiOn Of the many which
change his bright optimism into cyni-
cism of type that royOlts the listener
doubts Of the good faith and truthful
dealing or those who should be his eN-
emplars IN both. Lacking Judg-
ment, experience and phiiOsOphy-the
Blessed Tree VINO remind his elders that
nothing is wholly corrupt or irreparable
the boy casts himself down among the
ruins Of his temples and his gods, and
mOurns SIS those who have no hope. He
picks himself up by-and-by. Thank
heaven for the reCuperative power OF
youth! Our wise housewife has the
fragments Of her china cup Tiveted to-
gether, and turns the whole SIDE cheer
fully to the front But =he does not trust
il with hot tea again, II must needs De
that oftnses come, hut woe unto him by
whom the Cffense COmeth,
As the first step to this wrong, we are
! too ready to make promises to our chill
I dren TIE iteration of, INLAY | do thls:"
/ Cant Go that" patterS upon the ear
! Of the mother until she answers mechRni-
cally, often not taking in the purport OF
The petition. The perpleXed stare that
answers her clumsy defense when re-
minded Of the assent she feels obliged to
revoke, "I really did not think what was
saving, my dear''-shCuld warn her that
the ground is Caving under the ledge OF
infallibility. These Clear-eyed critics OF
our walk and conversation reason long
before they can put logic into words.
T., "What does your mother mean when
she says. 4 will see about it," asked
one little girl of another.
"Why, it's most rs good as Yes, -" was
. the careless reply. "If she does say No,
afterward, we just 20 for her, Itellyou!"
"NOW, when my mother says, Il will see
about it children" said the frs speaker,
! grevely and slowly, ait means, i am toe
! busy now to attend to what you say. By
and by, when l have time to listen, will
/ do what is right"
"Mv! what q fuss over little thing,"
HAh! but my mother never goes back
/ on her word. When she does promise
{ she sticks to it. That's worth waiting for
you know"
G We children's requests due COnsidera
+ ton before deciding upon them. If posi-
Die and prudent say Yes" Some of Us
would be ashamed did we know how the
habit of negativing, without though,
or reason, has grown upon US. Yor
are the sovereign, your child the sub
Jet. Be IeDient and gracious. Why
feign TO yield grudgiDgly when there is nc
hesitation in your mind? Do not bt
afraid of weakening your authority by
ready aCquiesCence. Let the little ones
see how glad you are to make them happy
If you seal the boon with kiss you make
compliance doubly graceful. When com.
pc led TO deny your petitioners will COM
prehend the necessity of the refusal-that
mamma would say yes If she could"
The promise made, keep it reIigiously
You iDjure the child when you forget OF
ignore your pledge 10 him, but you do
yourself yet greater harm, From the
thrODg Of illustrations OF this truth that
clog my pen l have room for but one
Eand that q true story.
I Four-yeaI-old Frsnk9's parents had
promised him 2 drive upon certain al
| ternoon. A thunder storm kept the three
indoors, and the promise was renewed
! for the first time p5pa could spare time
to take mamma out. The "ume" was
slow in coming, to Franky's apprehen-
sion. Day followed day, and his ears
ached vainly for hint or mention
4 the promised excursion. After 9 week
that seemed q year, the little fellow. who
had been taught "never TO tease" heard
the appointment maGe with his mother
for 5 o'clock that afternoon. Nothing
was said TO him, bat secure in the prom
Use given he coaxed his nurse to dress him
for the expe ditiOn. Hair and hands above
reprosch, mis- straw hat on his head, he
mounted guard on the front steps, and
waited for the appearance of the buggy
and driver. FargetfHl paps nodded eayly
to him as he drew up at the door, and sig
nailed to the wife looking from an upper
window. Mamma, as oblivious of
her engagement with her boy,
kissed him in passing, bidding him
Ff'ee very good. while she was
gone" An aunt coming up behind him
- z.honrd harcalf icnnra nj of the nrnrni 20